Air University’s AFIT graduates 181 students, strengthens Joint Force through technical expertise Published March 31, 2026 By Jaclyn Knapp AFIT Institutional Advancement WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB. Ohio -- The Air University’s Air Force Institute of Technology graduated 181 students during its March 2026 commencement ceremony, highlighting Air University’s role in developing technically advanced warfighters who can solve operational problems across the Joint Force. As part of Air University’s broader mission to educate and develop joint warfighters, AFIT provides advanced academic education and research that prepares officers, enlisted members, civilians and international partners to apply technical expertise in real-world operational environments, supporting more informed and effective decision-making. The graduating class included 127 Air Force officers, 10 U.S. Space Force officers, nine Army officers, four Marines, two enlisted Airmen and 18 Department of the Air Force civilians, along with international partners from Australia, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Brazil and Israel. The diverse makeup reflects Air University’s role in developing joint and coalition warfighters capable of operating across domains and strengthening interoperability. Lt. Gen. Daniel Tulley, Air University commander and president, speaks at the Air Force Institute of Technology commencement ceremony March 30, 2026, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 30, 2026. As part of Air University’s broader mission to educate and develop joint warfighters, AFIT provides advanced academic education and research that prepares officers, enlisted members, civilians and international partners to apply technical expertise in real-world operational environments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Peterson) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Lt. Gen. Daniel Tulley, commander and president of Air University, presided over the ceremony and emphasized AFIT’s role in developing technical expertise for the force. “AFIT is a unique institution,” Tulley said. “The mixture of air domain expertise, space expertise, technology paired with warfighting is unmatched anywhere in this world.” He said the impact of the institution extends beyond the classroom and continues with graduates as they move into operational assignments. “When a student goes off, a part of every instructor goes with them,” Tulley said. “To the graduates, I don’t know if you realize it now, but the faculty and staff here, a part of all them is going with you.” Tulley encouraged graduates to carry that investment forward in their service. “Pay it forward to the nation, pay it forward with your service,” he said. “Pay it forward to make the next generation Airmen and Guardians better than we can ever be. That is how we remain the world’s greatest air and space force.” Distinguished Air Force guests in attendance included Chief Master Sgt. Raun Howell, Air University command chief, and Dr. Yolanda Williams, Air University provost and chief academic officer, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Keynote speaker Lt. Gen. Luke C. G. Cropsey, military deputy for acquisition, technology and logistics, told graduates their education positions them to tackle some of the Department’s most complex challenges. “You are, in fact, the representative class of what it takes to bring a scholar and a warrior together in a way that propels us forward,” Cropsey said. He said AFIT graduates bring a combination of technical expertise and operational understanding that is critical to how the Air Force develops and delivers capability. “We’ve invested a lot of national treasure to make sure you have the tools, training and wherewithal to go into these highly technical spaces to figure out what ‘right’ really looks like,” he said. Air University’s Air Force Institute of Technology graduates and faculty pose for a photo at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, March 30, 2026. As part of Air University’s broader mission to educate and develop joint warfighters, AFIT provides advanced academic education and research that prepares officers, enlisted members, civilians and international partners to apply technical expertise in real-world operational environments, supporting more informed and effective decision-making. (U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Peterson) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Cropsey also pointed to the growing complexity of today’s operating environment, noting that future challenges will demand leaders who can think critically, integrate systems and provide clear, actionable solutions. In his closing remarks, Cropsey highlighted distinguished AFIT graduate, General Bernard ‘Bernie’ Schriever, and his remarkable contributions to intercontinental ballistic missiles during the cold war and the inventor of systems engineering. “As you move into your careers, follow-ons, and jobs, the level of complexity that Shriever had to figure out when he invented systems engineering is ten-fold that today. The things that we’re asking you to figure out are the things that we need you to be able to figure out with the degrees we gave you while you were at AFIT,” said Cropsey. Through AFIT, Air University delivers advanced education and research that develops joint warfighters, supports operational problem solving and integrates capability across the enterprise. Graduates leave AFIT with more than advanced degrees. They bring the ability to apply technical knowledge in operational settings and support faster, better-informed decisions across the Joint Force, reinforcing Air University’s role as a trusted partner to leaders across the Department of the Air Force and the broader Joint Force. The following graduates met all degree requirements and were approved for their respective degrees: DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS Master of Science (Applied Mathematics) Mr. Trevor Cross Captain Ray Raymon Freeze Major Travis J. Salter (US Space Force) DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING Master of Science in Computer Engineering Mr. Ryan Bradley Bazzell Mr. Joseph Lisle Drury Captain Robert M. H. Kramer Mr. Joseph Rabaut Second Lieutenant Mason Scott Rolph Second Lieutenant Marcus Allen Sander Master of Science (Computer Engineering) Second Lieutenant Sophie Briann Callahan Mr. Michael Vincent Smith* Master of Science (Computer Science) First Lieutenant Abdullah Khalid A. Albrethen (Royal Saudi Air Force) Captain Don Ellington Captain John Henry Hardy VI Mr. Joel Hottinger Second Lieutenant Kai Kam Second Lieutenant Kayleb Klapp Second Lieutenant Matthew Mendoza Captain Sanford Lorin Threlkeld Second Lieutenant Grace Theresa Treanor Second Lieutenant Kevin Michael Trigg Second Lieutenant Meilyn Jade Wong Captain Dalton Kueter Woods First Lieutenant Jiwoon Yim Master of Science (Cyber Operations) Captain Tyler Bertles (US Army) Major Benito Augusto de Laia Silva (Brazilian Air Force) Captain Jacob Daniel Dimmitt Captain Reid B. Hessman Major Renan Machado de Oliveira (Brazilian Air Force) Captain Alexander P. Mundy Captain César T. Ramirez-Thatcher Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Mr. Ethan Bolt Second Lieutenant Aaron James Bonner First Lieutenant Dylan Michael Bott Captain Victoria Crowder Captain Woodson T. Culp Captain Noah Tyler Frandsen First Lieutenant Jeremiah Ryan Carlucci Gaulding (US Space Force) Captain Jeremy Steven Germenis (US Space Force) Mr. Ethan D. Hays Captain Noah Christopher Holston Captain Bradley Lemon Captain Naaman Eliseo Morales First Lieutenant Seth Porter Myers Second Lieutenant Hilary Tran Nolen Captain Kojo Otoo Second Lieutenant Joshua Pigg Second Lieutenant Caleb Joshua Stilp First Lieutenant Ethan J. Ward Captain Minjong Yoon Master of Science (Electrical Engineering) Captain Sebastián Cifuentes Valdebenito (Chilean Air Force) Captain William A. L. Helms Captain Laine Grace Jeston-Fenton (Royal Australian Air Force) DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING PHYSICS Master of Science (Applied Physics) Second Lieutenant Grant Christopher Ferry Captain Sharjeel Hyder Captain Lucas N. Kulesza Mr. Travis Morris Mr. John Norton* Mr. Robert J. Von Holle* Mr. Jaden Woodward* Master of Science (Atmospheric Science) Mr. Daniel E. Haegele* Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering Captain Samuel Joseph Foster Major Scott M. Lorette (US Army) Mr. Richmond J. McDonald Mr. Josten M. Meade Captain Eric James Plummer Major Rafael Antonio Polo (US Army) Major Zachary O. Priday (US Army) DEPARTMENT OF OPERATIONAL SCIENCES Master of Science (Data Science) Captain Kyle P. Daley Major Daniel Patrick Delaney Second Lieutenant Emma Finch Captain Tristan Henry Alaric Godbold (US Army) Captain Edward P. Lara (US Army) Second Lieutenant Christopher M. Rafnson Captain Benjamin Shinskie Master Sergeant Andrew Swanson Second Lieutenant Lyssa Avery White Master of Science (Logistics and Supply Chain Management) Captain Michael J. Bechtel Jr. Captain Daniel W. Schott Major Joseph Paul Spletzer Master of Science (Operations Research) Captain Addison M. Bieger (US Army) Second Lieutenant Rebecca Lynn Daniels Captain Luke A. Grossmann (US Army) Captain Jordan A. Hartwig (US Army) Second Lieutenant Vada Jeanette Kirsch Major Dor Kleinfeld (Israeli Air Force) Captain Alexander M. Mallory DEPARTMENT OF SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT Master of Engineering (Applied Systems Engineering) Captain William T. Compton Major Justin Anton Happ Mr. Sayxue John Ly Mr. Prithvijeet Shaha Captain Trenton Mitsugi Shimata** Captain Adam Simmons Mr. Shawn Watkins* Master of Science (Acquisition and Program Management) Captain Kyle S. Broekhuis First Lieutenant Alek Timothy Downs Major Keah Giavanni Gee First Lieutenant Jordan Anthony Graham First Lieutenant Tevin Miller Captain Matthew Griffin Papandrea Captain Robert Saite Captain Mitchell Stephen Wade Master of Science (Cost Analysis) Captain Benjamin L. Ainsworth First Lieutenant Joshua A. Band Captain John Christopher Hernandez Captain Megan Michelle Keene Captain Brian M. Lewis Second Lieutenant Austin Jayke Romanov Second Lieutenant Jocelyn Claire Ruiz Captain Jacob William Saripkin Master of Science in Engineering Management Captain Evert June Chung Second Lieutenant Kadyn Jacob Craigle Captain Jacob Andrew Daum (US Marine Corps) Captain Nicole A. Demoret Captain Brian James Fink Second Lieutenant Jeremiah Michael Garcia Captain Jon-Scot B. Gilstrap Captain Tabatha Harumi Herzig Captain Alex Davis Kincaid Captain Austin Colin Koch Second Lieutenant Alise Nichole MacDonald Second Lieutenant Christian Mae Y. Malacas Captain Andrea Rake Captain Ryan Rettig Captain Miriansky Rivas Ramos Captain Calvin Chae Ross Captain Trenton Mitsugi Shimata** Second Lieutenant Colin Gerard Sistrunk Captain Kelsee Rae Stevens Second Lieutenant Caroline Kay Weeren Master of Science (Engineering Management) Captain Omar Luis Campos (US Marine Corps) Captain Malachijah Clark (US Marine Corps) Second Lieutenant Kaitelyn Jihan Haynes Major Andrew Michael Sumner Master of Science in Systems Engineering First Lieutenant Adrianna Alecia Blenkush Captain Matthew D. Burchill Captain Patrick Ryan Dougherty Mr. Benjamin Mark Francis Major Carlos James Horner First Lieutenant Connor Martin Captain Patrick Daniel McVey Mr. Daniel Cooper Merrell Second Lieutenant Elizabeth Ream Van Caster First Lieutenant Jimmy Xiao Second Lieutenant Corinne Yorkman Master of Science (Systems Engineering) Captain Elizabeth Anne Archer Captain Ayelet Blank-Koplon (Israeli Air Force) DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering Captain Thomas Charles Balaj Second Lieutenant Mabel Chui (US Space Force) Second Lieutenant Amy Madelyn Cinnamon Second Lieutenant Derek Daniel Dickenscheidt Captain Bryce Nathaniel Graley Captain Alex Harms Second Lieutenant John Harrison Second Lieutenant Caleb Michael Christian Harrold Second Lieutenant Bryce Helmer Captain Matthew T. Knoedler Second Lieutenant Nicolas Medeiros First Lieutenant Eva Medora Paleo First Lieutenant Michael Francis Sweeney Major Matthew Thompson First Lieutenant Alex R. Thordson Second Lieutenant Luke Alexander Wells Mr. Christopher Weir Master of Science (Aeronautical Engineering) Captain Tanner Scott Barber (US Marine Corps) Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering Second Lieutenant Edward Blaney First Lieutenant Ryan Collins Captain James Quincy Mostek (US Space Force) Second Lieutenant David Noh (US Space Force) Captain Colin James Pate Second Lieutenant Elliot Potter (US Space Force) Captain Zachary Scott Randall Second Lieutenant Paul Marcus Rickershauser (US Space Force) Mr. Gabriel James Scheer-Scherer Captain Cole Turner Second Lieutenant Peter Joseph Van Cise Captain Dylan Viveros (US Space Force) Master of Science (Astronautical Engineering) Captain Pablo Andrés Figueroa Toledo (Chilean Air Force) Master of Science (Materials Science) First Lieutenant Nicholas D. Garbinski Captain Hassan Waheed Khokhar Master of Science (Space Systems) Second Lieutenant Conner Seamus O’Malley (US Space Force) Senior Master Seargent Deng Gatkuoth Pour Ms. Shelbie Lehto* First Lieutenant Matías Andrés Ramírez Cisternas (Chilean Air Force) Captain Alonso Javier Vásquez Castañeda (Chilean Air Force) *Return to Walk **Dual-degree graduate DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Ms. Kara Lian Combs Lieutenant Colonel William Harrell* Ms. Rachel A. Heffner *Return to Walk